December 19, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7841 language or the substantively similar PERDUE), the Senator from Ohio (Mr. nominee last week; I didn’t spend all language has been public for many, PORTMAN), the Senator from Idaho (Mr. my time talking about why we opposed many months now. RISCH), and the Senator from South them. There was no debate. I also want to stress that we are not Dakota (Mr. ROUNDS). But when it comes to an IG, we have making permanent changes to laws and Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the to get on the same page. We need an IG Congress can always act again. The Senator from California (Ms. HARRIS) is we can believe in. So I ask my col- CARES Act already made these facili- necessarily absent. leagues to turn down this nomination ties temporary. They were supposed to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there and get us someone who has a depth of end at the end of the year, and, of any other Senators in the Chamber de- experience we all can believe in. course, no change in law is ever perma- siring to vote? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- nent. Any future Congress can change The result was announced—yeas 51, ator from Mississippi. it. nays 36, as follows: Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, I ask Back in March, when this crisis hit, [Rollcall Vote No. 276 Ex.] unanimous consent to speak on this the Fed and Treasury knew that they YEAS—51 nomination for 1 minute. needed to come to Congress for the Alexander Grassley Roberts The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there tools to solve it. They came to Con- Barrasso Hassan Romney objection? Blackburn Hawley Rosen gress, and we turned around in an ex- Booker Hoeven Rubio Without objection, it is so ordered. traordinarily rapid fashion these mas- Boozman Hyde-Smith Sasse Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, Chase sive new facilities that had never been Braun Inhofe Scott (FL) Johnson is the nominee here. This is a imagined before. We responded quickly. Capito Johnson Scott (SC) cloture vote. He is a marine. He is a Carper Kelly Shelby And if there is some kind of future Cassidy Kennedy Sinema Marine Reserve veteran. He is an ac- event that calls for a future set of fa- Collins King Sullivan complished attorney. He was reported cilities of this particular sort, they can Cornyn Lankford Thune from the Commerce Committee on a Cotton Lee Tillis come back to Congress. Cramer Manchin Toomey unanimous, bipartisan vote. The distin- There are three facilities—three fa- Crapo McConnell Warner guished ranking member who just cilities that were launched in conjunc- Daines Menendez Whitehouse spoke made the motion that Chase tion with the CARES Act, funded by Gardner Moran Wicker Johnson be reported. Graham Murkowski Young the CARES Act, and I am saying that We are the victim this afternoon of they have achieved their purpose. They NAYS—36 some absences. We are also the victim should come to an end. They should Baldwin Gillibrand Reed this afternoon of some discussion and not be restarted, and a replica should Bennet Heinrich Sanders Blumenthal Hirono Schatz some differences that have arisen over not be created. That is all. Brown Jones Schumer extraneous issues, and I would just Some have suggested that the Chair- Cantwell Kaine Shaheen urge my colleagues, both on and off the man of the Federal Reserve has some Cardin Klobuchar Smith committee, to remember that this was Casey Leahy Stabenow opinion on this. I would challenge any- Coons Markey Tester a unanimous vote out of the com- one to find a statement in the public Cortez Masto Merkley Udall mittee. record that he has made in criticism of Duckworth Murphy Van Hollen This is an outstanding candidate, and this. He is very well aware of what is Durbin Murray Warren Feinstein Peters Wyden he deserves to be confirmed. With that, going on. I ask for a yes vote. The last point I want to make: Some NOT VOTING—13 And, Mr. President, I ask unanimous on the other side have suggested that Blunt Fischer Portman consent that the mandatory quorum our language may be too broad, and Burr Harris Risch Cruz Loeffler Rounds call be waived. maybe it captures potential facilities Enzi Paul The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there that shouldn’t be captured. If that is Ernst Perdue objection? the sincere concern of my colleagues The nomination was confirmed. Without objection, it is so ordered. on the other side, I urge them to give The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- f me a call. It is very easy to track me ator from Washington. down. If you have an objection to the Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I ask CLOTURE MOTION way we have worded this and you want unanimous consent to speak for 1 The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant language that is narrower, I am all minute on the next vote and the nomi- to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the ears. We can work this out. nation to be FCC IG. Senate the pending cloture motion, With that, I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there which the clerk will state. VOTE ON THE DIETZ NOMINATION objection? The legislative clerk read as follows: The PRESIDING OFFICER. All Without objection, it is so ordered. CLOTURE MOTION postcloture time has expired. NOMINATION OF JOHN CHASE JOHNSON We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- The question is, Will the Senate ad- Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, the ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the vise and consent to the Dietz nomina- FCC is one of the most important inde- Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby tion? pendent agencies that we are counting move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- Ms. MURKOWSKI. I ask for the yeas on for the future of the information nation of John Chase Johnson, of Oklahoma, and nays. age. When you think about the fact to be Inspector General, Federal Commu- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a that they regulate interstate com- nications Commission. (New Position) Mitch McConnell, Lamar Alexander, sufficient second? merce, radio, television, wire, and sat- Rick Scott, Tom Cotton, Mike Crapo, There appears to be a sufficient sec- ellite in all 50 States, it is imperative— Cory Gardner, Ron Johnson, James ond. imperative—that we have someone as Lankford, Roger F. Wicker, Marco The clerk will call the roll. the IG who understands these policies. Rubio, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Thom Tillis, The senior assistant legislative clerk I believe the next era of telecom is Shelley Moore Capito, John Boozman, called the roll. going to usher in 5G. I do think we are Joni Ernst, Mike Braun, Pat Roberts. Mr. THUNE. The following Senators going to solve our rural IT problems. I The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- are necessarily absent: the Senator do think we are going to connect imous consent, the mandatory quorum from Missouri (Mr. BLUNT), the Senator schools. But if we have an IG who does call has been waived. from North Carolina (Mr. BURR), the not understand communication policy, The question is, Is it the sense of the Senator from Texas (Mr. CRUZ), the has no experience in communication Senate that debate on the nomination Senator from Wyoming (Mr. ENZI), the policy, has never had a role in that, I of John Chase Johnson, of Oklahoma, Senator from Iowa (Ms. ERNST), the say we won’t accomplish the mission of to be Inspector General, Federal Com- Senator from Nebraska (Mrs. FISCHER), oversight or the mission, ultimately, munications Commission (New Posi- the Senator from Georgia (Mrs. LOEF- at the FCC. tion), shall be brought to a close? FLER), the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. It is clear we don’t all agree. It is The yeas and nays are mandatory PAUL), the Senator from Georgia (Mr. clear we don’t all agree. You got a under the rule.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:39 Dec 20, 2020 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G19DE6.019 S19DEPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE S7842 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 19, 2020 The clerk will call the roll. Pursuant to rule XXII, the Chair lays Smith Udall Warren Stabenow Van Hollen Whitehouse The legislative clerk called the roll. before the Senate the pending cloture Tester Warner Wyden Mr. THUNE. The following Senators motion, which the clerk will state. are necessarily absent: the Senator The legislative clerk read as follows: NOT VOTING—13 Blunt Fischer Portman from Missouri (Mr. BLUNT), the Senator CLOTURE MOTION Burr Harris Risch from North Carolina (Mr. BURR), the We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- Cruz Loeffler Rounds Senator from Texas (Mr. CRUZ), the ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the Enzi Paul Senator from Wyoming (Mr. ENZI), the Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby Ernst Perdue Senator from Iowa (Ms. ERNST), the move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this Senator from Nebraska (Mrs. FISCHER), nation of Eric J. Soskin, of Virginia, to be vote, the yeas are 39, the nays are 48. the Senator from Georgia (Mrs. LOEF- Inspector General, Department of Transpor- The motion is not agreed to. tation. FLER), the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Mitch McConnell, Lamar Alexander, The motion was rejected. PAUL), the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Rick Scott, Tom Cotton, Mike Crapo, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- PERDUE), the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Cory Gardner, Ron Johnson, James jority leader. PORTMAN), the Senator from Idaho (Mr. Lankford, Roger F. Wicker, Marco Mr. MCCONNELL. I enter a motion RISCH), and the Senator from South Rubio, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Thom Tillis, to reconsider the vote. Dakota (Mr. ROUNDS). Shelley Moore Capito, John Boozman, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The mo- Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Joni Ernst, Mike Braun, Pat Roberts. tion is entered. Senator from California (Ms. HARRIS), The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- Mr. MCCONNELL. I ask unanimous is necessarily absent. imous consent, the mandatory quorum consent that the mandatory quorum The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there call has been waived. call be waived. any other Senators in the Chamber de- The question is, Is it the sense of the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without siring to vote or change their vote? Senate that debate on the nomination objection. The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 39, of Eric J. Soskin, of Virginia, to be In- f nays 48, as follows: spector General, Department of Trans- CLOTURE MOTION [Rollcall Vote No. 277 Ex.] portation, shall be brought to a close? YEAS—39 The yeas and nays are mandatory The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the Alexander Gardner Roberts under the rule. Barrasso Graham Romney The clerk will call the roll. Senate the pending cloture motion, Blackburn Grassley Rubio The bill clerk called the roll. which the clerk will state. Boozman Hawley Sasse The senior assistant legislative clerk Braun Hoeven Scott (FL) Mr. THUNE. The following Senators Capito Hyde-Smith Scott (SC) are necessarily absent: the Senator read as follows: Cassidy Inhofe Shelby from Missouri (Mr. BLUNT), the Senator CLOTURE MOTION Collins Johnson Sullivan from North Carolina (Mr. BURR), the We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- Cornyn Kennedy Thune Cotton Lankford Tillis Senator from Texas (Mr. CRUZ), the ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the Cramer Lee Toomey Senator from Wyoming (Mr. ENZI), the Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on the nomi- Crapo Moran Wicker Senator from Iowa (Ms. ERNST), the Daines Murkowski Young nation of Beth Harwell, of Tennessee, to be a Senator from Nebraska (Mrs. FISCHER), Member of the Board of Directors of the Ten- NAYS—48 the Senator from Georgia (Mrs. LOEF- nessee Valley Authority for a term expiring Baldwin Heinrich Reed FLER), the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. May 18, 2024. Bennet Hirono Rosen PAUL), the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Mitch McConnell, Lamar Alexander, Blumenthal Jones Sanders Booker Kaine Schatz PERDUE), the Senator from Ohio (Mr. Rick Scott, Tom Cotton, Mike Crapo, Brown Kelly Schumer PORTMAN), the Senator from Idaho (Mr. Cory Gardner, Ron Johnson, James Cantwell King Shaheen RISCH), and the Senator from South Lankford, Roger F. Wicker, Marco Cardin Klobuchar Sinema Rubio, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Thom Tillis, Dakota (Mr. ROUNDS). Carper Leahy Smith Shelley Moore Capito, John Boozman, Casey Manchin Stabenow Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Joni Ernst, Mike Braun, Pat Roberts. Coons Markey Tester Senator from California (Ms. HARRIS) is The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- Cortez Masto McConnell Udall necessarily absent. Duckworth Menendez Van Hollen imous consent the mandatory quorum The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Durbin Merkley Warner call has been waived. Feinstein Murphy Warren GARDNER). Are there any other Sen- The question is, Is it the sense of the Gillibrand Murray Whitehouse ators in the Chamber desiring to vote? Senate that debate on the nomination Hassan Peters Wyden The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 39, of Beth Harwell, of Tennessee, to be a NOT VOTING—13 nays 48, as follows: Member of the Board of Directors of Blunt Fischer Portman [Rollcall Vote No. 278 Ex.] Burr Harris the Tennessee Valley Authority, shall Risch YEAS—39 Cruz Loeffler Rounds be brought to a close? Enzi Paul Alexander Gardner Roberts The yeas and nays are mandatory Ernst Perdue Barrasso Graham Romney under the rule. Blackburn Grassley Rubio The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this Boozman Hawley Sasse The clerk will call the roll. vote, the yeas are 39, the nays are 48. Braun Hoeven Scott (FL) The senior assistant legislative clerk The motion is rejected. Capito Hyde-Smith Scott (SC) called the roll. Cassidy Inhofe Shelby The majority leader. Collins Johnson Sullivan Mr. THUNE. The following Senators MOTION TO RECONSIDER Cornyn Kennedy Thune are necessarily absent: the Senator Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I Cotton Lankford Tillis from Missouri (Mr. BLUNT), the Senator Cramer Lee Toomey from North Carolina (Mr. BURR), the enter a motion to reconsider the vote Crapo Moran Wicker by which cloture was not invoked. Daines Murkowski Young Senator from Texas (Mr. CRUZ), the Senator from Wyoming (Mr. ENZI), the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The mo- NAYS—48 tion is entered. Senator from Iowa (Ms. ERNST), the Baldwin Feinstein McConnell Senator from Nebraska (Mrs. FISCHER), The majority leader. Bennet Gillibrand Menendez f Blumenthal Hassan Merkley the Senator from Georgia (Mrs. LOEF- Booker Heinrich Murphy FLER), the Senator from Kentucky (Mr. CLOTURE MOTION Brown Hirono Murray PAUL), the Senator from Georgia (Mr. Cantwell Jones Peters Mr. MCCONNELL. I ask unanimous Cardin Kaine Reed PERDUE), the Senator from Ohio (Mr. consent that the mandatory quorum Carper Kelly Rosen PORTMAN), the Senator from Idaho (Mr. call be waived. Casey King Sanders RISCH), and the Senator from South The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there Coons Klobuchar Schatz Dakota (Mr. ROUNDS). Cortez Masto Leahy Schumer objection? Duckworth Manchin Shaheen Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Without objection, it is so ordered. Durbin Markey Sinema Senator from California (Ms. HARRIS)

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